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New Delhi, Oct 25 (IANS) A decade-long integrated approach combining security, development and rehabilitation has taken the central government closer to its goal of freeing the country from Maoism by March 2026, an official said on Saturday, pointing to the killing of 270 insurgents in 2025 alone.
The official also highlighted a 53 percent decline in violent incidents in 2014-2024 compared to the previous decade.
In 2025, security forces arrested 680 Maoists and made 1,225 surrender, the official said in a statement. So far in 2025, 521 Left Wing Extremism (LWE) cadres have surrendered, and in the last two years, 1,053 surrenders have been recorded in Chhattisgarh.
The official said in a statement that the financial networks that sustain Maoism have been systematically destroyed. A special department of the National Investigation Agency (NIA) has seized assets worth over Rs 40 crore, while the Enforcement Directorate (ED) action has seized assets worth Rs 12 crore. The states have also seized assets worth Rs 40 crore.
Additionally, urban Maoists have suffered significant moral and psychological setbacks, leading to a decline in their ability to conduct information warfare, the statement said.
Additionally, the rehabilitated cadres receive a monthly stipend of Rs 5 lakh (high rank), financial assistance of Rs 2.5 lakh (medium/low rank) and Rs 10,000 for vocational training for 36 months, enabling them to rebuild their lives with dignity and stability.
Major operations such as Operation Black Forest and large-scale surrenders in Bijapur, Chhattisgarh and Maharashtra underline the growing confidence among insurgents to reintegrate into mainstream life, the Union Home Ministry said in the statement.
In the last decade, coordinated efforts of security forces and development initiatives have led to a significant decline in Naxal-related violence.
The statement said that between 2004-2014 and 2014-2024, violent incidents decreased from 16,463 to 7,744, deaths of security personnel decreased from 1,851 to 509 and civilian deaths decreased from 4,766 to 1,495, a remarkable sign of restoration of peace and governance in the affected areas.
The government’s focus on security infrastructure has been important. The official said, 576 fortified police stations have been built in the last decade and 336 new security camps have been established in the last six years.
The number of Maoist-affected districts has declined from 126 in 2014 to 18 in 2024, with only six districts now in the category of most affected districts. Expansion of night-landing helipads (68 built) has improved maneuverability and reaction time during operations.
In 2024, security forces carried out 26 major encounters resulting in the elimination of top Maoist cadres.
The ‘Trace, Target, Neutralize’ approach has been central to this success, enabling forces to identify and eliminate key Maoist leaders and disrupt their command structure. Ministry officials said operations like Octopus, Double Bull and Chakrabandh have achieved remarkable success in the fight against Maoism with the establishment of camps in remote areas.
–IANS
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